Feb 22, 2021

Social Security's Role In Desegregating Hospitals

      Andrew Saul has issued a new blog post claiming credit for the Social Security Administration for the desegregation of hospitals in the 1960s. It will surprise many that there is truth in this. The Social Security Administration was initially responsible for implementing Medicare, which came into effect during the 1960s. From the beginning, Medicare forbade discrimination in hospital care. Enforcing that ban on discrimination was part of SSA's responsibility.

     One interesting aspect of this blog post is that it labels Andrew Saul as Commissioner of Social Security. Which is it, "Commissioner" or "Acting Commissioner"? I've yet to see anything other than the White House list that designates Saul as "Acting Commissioner." Why is Social Security refusing to answer questions on this subject? This is a federal government agency. Don't taxpayers deserve to know the answer to the question? Why the game playing?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Temporary".

Anonymous said...

Your obsession with Mr. Saul is getting a little disturbing.

Anonymous said...

Charles, you keep asking this question. However, it is not up to SSA to answer that question. The sole responsibility for answering that question lies with President Biden.

Until he gets around to doing so, Saul is the Commissioner of Social Security - period.

Anonymous said...

Title should not matter. Better Call Saul is at the top. That is the problem until Biden replaces him hopefully soon.

Anonymous said...

Yet another Trump dog-whistler signaling the base about just what Medicare for all means.

Anonymous said...

If you worked for Saul and the entire crooked bunch below him you’d want to know. Morale with him is at an all time low in my 20 year career. I miss Mrs.Colvin, I think she was one of the best we’ve had in a long time.

Anonymous said...

His title didn't change from Senate confirmed Commissioner to Acting Commissioner because the president changed. It simply doesn't work like that. He's Commissioner until the end of his term, be it by date or resignation. Cripes, you'd think a lawyer would understand how such things work and that news articles and press releases don't change things.

Anonymous said...

Nationwide about 7 people care what his title is.

Anonymous said...

@7:25

Pretty sure Charles is aware of that, which is why it's extremely odd Saul is being characterized as an Acting agency head by the White House.

Anonymous said...

@6:55

It's a mistake on the WH staffers part who prepared that memo. Read the OPM transition guide (it's online) and it's common practice to keep people on as acting who are presidentially appointed while their replacements are being pulled up But Senate confirmed presidentially appointed folks carry over and don't have to resign. Keeping that straight? Good luck. It's clearly a bloody mistake on the WH side. If the WH Personnel office had the right to change his title, it'd be changed and he'd be using it. This is mountain out of molehill material.